MA in Clinical Professional Psychology Frequently Asked Questions
Department of Psychology

MAC FAQs 05-06 # 1

 

I know there are several non-registration-related circumstances under which I must meet with you (e.g., establishing practicum eligibility, etc.).  What if our schedules don't ever match?

In the unlikely event that such conditions arise, I am happy to work through your needs via e-mail, phone conversations, postal mail or combinations of all of these means of communication.

MAC FAQs 05-06 # 2

How does this whole practicum thing work?

If you are a student in the 48-semester hour Clinical Professional Psychology program, you must complete a clinical practicum (a formal, field placement or about 1000 hours in length) as your "terminal" project.

If you are a student in the 36-semester hour Clinical Psychology program, you may complete a clinical practicum as your "terminal" project (a research thesis is your other option).

Early in your program, you should think about when you might be eligible to begin your practicum.  Students in the Clinical Professional Psychology program may begin their practica as soon as they have completed their 39th semester hour.  Students in the Clinical Psychology program may begin their practica as soon as they have completed their 33rd semester hour.

Think about when you believe you will qualify to begin your practicum.  About one year before that date, set your practicum process in motion.  The first step in this activity is to complete your portion of the Clinical Practicum Eligibility Form (I am attaching a copy for your convenience).  Once you have completed your portion, submit the form to me (email it, drop it off, snail mail it -- anything works).  I will determine your earliest date of eligibility and I will pass the form along to Dr. Catherine Campbell, the Department of Psychology's Director of Training.  I will inform you when I have completed my work on your form.

As soon as you know your date of eligibility, make an appointment to see Dr. Campbell.  She will help you determine a Roosevelt-approved training site based on your interests and professional goals.  She will also guide you through the application process.  Also, look for announcements of practicum information meetings that Dr. Campbell routinely holds.  You cannot attend too many of these, nor be attending them too early!

MAC FAQs 05-06 # 3

Can I transfer credit for graduate courses taken at other universities to my MA program here?

The answer to this question is yes and no.  You may transfer credit if:  (1) that credit was not applied to a degree already awarded  and (2) the course or courses in question are relevant to this program of study. 

If this situation applies to you, contact me about the course or courses in question.  I will need to determine if they are appropriate to transfer to your program here.  In order to make that decision, I would need to see an official transcript and a catalog description or course syllabus.

Roosevelt University allows MA degree seeking graduate students to transfer no more than 9 semester hours of credit.

 

MAC FAQs 05-06 #4

I hear that the program for Clinical Professional Psychology is changing?  How does this affect me?

The curriculum for Clinical Professional Psychology will be slightly different for different for students who enter the program in Fall 2006 or later.  The changes are small but were made to bring us into compliance with the rules of the National Board of Certified Counselors.  It is important that you realize that an MA degree in Clinical Professional Psychology following the current curriculum is still fully accepted by the State of Illinois for LPC and LCPC licensure.  A degree following the new program will be accepted as well.   

Here is how the new curriculum will differ from the current curriculum.  In the new curriculum:

• 1)      Psyc 501 will not be required;
• 2)      Both Psyc 641 and 642 will be required;
• 3)      Competency courses will be Psyc 505, 516 and 530;
• 4)      During the practicum experience, students will need to register for Psyc 698A (3 semester hours) in their first semester and Psyc 698B (3 semester hours) in their second. 

If you are currently enrolled in the Clinical Professional Psychology program, you do not need to change any plans.  You may follow the curricular rules under which you were admitted.  However, you may choose to follow the new rules instead.  Please keep this in mind when you make course selections for upcoming semesters. 

 

MAC FAQ's 06-07 #1

What do I need to do in order to make sure that the Department knows I’ve finished my thesis proposal or later, my final orals?   

The Department of Psychology and the University keep track of this information through special paperwork.  Let me talk about the two steps, proposal and final oral examination, separately.

Regarding the proposal:  You will work closely with your thesis committee chair in the development of your proposal.  When your chair is satisfied with the product, he/she will instruct you to send copies to the other members of your committee (there will be at least one other committee member).  When those other members are satisfied with the written document, you are ready for your proposal meeting.  At this formal get-together, you will orally describe your intended thesis research.  Your committee will ask questions, maybe make recommendations, and at the end of this meeting you will all have an understanding of exactly what you will be doing in your thesis procedures. 

In order to schedule your thesis meeting, you chair will ask you to get a copy of the “Request to Schedule Thesis Proposal Meeting”.  You can access this form on the Clinical MA Students’ webpage at www.roosevelt.edu/cas/sp/clinicalma.htm.  Complete everything you can, and then have your committee members sign this form.  When everyone has signed the form, take it to the Department of Psychology Secretary in the Main Office on the 18th floor of the Auditorium Building and the secretary will schedule the meeting for you.

Arrive at your proposal meeting equipped with the “Successful Completion of Thesis Proposal Meeting” form.  This form is also available at www.roosevelt.edu/cas/sp/clinicalma.htm.  Complete everything you can before the meeting.  Should your meeting go well, your committee members will sign the form at the meeting’s close.  Bring the completed form to the Department Secretary.

In some cases, committees work so closely together during the building of the proposal that they feel a formal meeting is unnecessary.  That is fine, but in this case, you will still need to have your committee members sign the “Successful Completion of Thesis Proposal Meeting” form.  Take the form to each of them for a signature and deliver the completed form to the Department Secretary. 

Regarding the final oral examination:  At some point after your IRB approval, data collection, analysis and write-up, your committee will decide that you are ready for your thesis final oral examination.  In order to set this up, you will follow a procedure much like the one you follow for your proposal meeting.  Get a copy of the “Request to Schedule Thesis Final Oral Examination” from the clinical MA students’ webpage.  Fill out all you can and get your committee members’ signatures.  Take the form to the Department Secretary who will schedule your meeting and post the required, formal announcement that it will take place. 

Arrive at your final oral examination equipped with the “Successful Completion of Thesis Final Oral Examination” AND “Graduate MA Transmittal” forms.  Both are available on the clinical MA students’ webpage.  Fill out all you can and, if all goes well, your committee members will sign the forms at the end of the meeting.  Your chair will probably instruct you to take the forms to the Department Secretary, but he/she may instead decide to hold the forms (if substantial changes need to be made in your final paper before it is declared a “pass”). 

MAC FAQ's 06-07 #2

I know that there are two clinical MA programs, but I don’t know which one is better for me.  How are they different?

The MA in Clinical Psychology requires at least 36 semester hour program.  It is built upon a semi-structured curriculum.  At a minimum, students are required to take certain courses, choose some courses from specific menus, and have one psychology elective.  One of the “courses” is a final project.  For this, the student chooses either a practicum or a thesis.  Students who choose this program either intend to apply to doctoral training programs (PhD or PsyD) in clinical psychology, or are completing the degree to satisfy the demands of a job.  The following would be true of the students who are doing this degree to increase their attractiveness to doctoral program admissions committees:  (1) Because PsyD programs put a primary emphasis on practice (i.e., assessment and intervention) training, and a secondary emphasis on research training, they are most interested in seeing that applicants have “clinical” promise.  Consistent with this, students who intend to apply to PsyD programs most often choose the practicum as a final project.  (2)  Because PhD programs put a primary emphasis on research training (i.e., the design, execution and interpretation of empirical investigations) and a secondary emphasis on practice training, they are most interested in seeing that applicants have “research” promise.  Consistent with this, students who intend to apply to PhD programs most often choose the thesis as a final project.

The recipient of this degree (at 36 semester hours) is not eligible in Illinois or in most other states, to apply for licensure as a professional counselor.  Right now, Illinois will allow holders of the 36 hour clinical MA to take additional graduate credits as a special (i.e., not enrolled in a degree program) student to complete the requirements for the license qualification, but this will no longer be an option as of January 1, 2008.  At that time, Illinois will only allow holders of, at least, 48 hour MA’ s, in relevant disciplines, to apply for the professional counselor license.

The MA in Clinical Professional Psychology requires at least a 48 semester hour program.  It is structured curriculum.  At a minimum, students are required to take 14 particular courses (i.e., 42 semester hours) and 6 semester hours of practicum credit. 

The recipient of this degree (at 48 semester hours) is eligible in Illinois and in most other states, to apply for licensure as a professional counselor with the degree as it stands.  Graduates of this program are eligible now to apply for the license and will continue to be eligible after January 1, 2008.

I understand the difference between the two clinical MA programs but I still don’t know which one to choose.  I plan on applying to PsyD programs, so I think the shorter program would be OK, but in case I’m never admitted to a PsyD program, I’d like to apply for the counselor’s license.   What should I do?

Because of the planned changes in the counselor’s license law, I would recommend you do the longer, Clinical Professional Psychology, program.  You will do a practicum at the end of it, so you will be able to demonstrate your clinical promise to PsyD admissions committees, but you will still be holding a licensable degree in case you do not succeed in being admitted to a PsyD program.

I understand the difference between the two clinical MA programs but I still don’t know which one to choose.  I want to apply to PhD programs, so I’d like to do a thesis, but in case I’m never admitted to a PhD program, I’d like to apply for the counselor’s license.  How can I have the best of both worlds?

My advice on this topic today is different from what it had been in the past, because of the planned change in the counselor licensing law.  All MA programs are defined by their minimum requirements.  A student may certainly complete more than the minimum required credit and be awarded the degree.  Herein is the solution to your dilemma.  I would recommend choosing the Clinical Professional Program, but adding “thesis” as an extra “course”. This way, you will have research involvement to use in demonstrating your research promise to PhD program admissions committee, but you will still be holding a licensable degree should you do not succeed in being admitted to a PhD program.

How difficult is it to be admitted to PsyD and PhD programs?

Clinical psychology continues to be a very popular field.  Doctoral programs receive between 100 and 300 applications each year and most are quite small.  Most PhD programs admit 4-8 students per year and PsyD programs typically admit 10-40. Even considering that the people applying to one program are likely applying to others, the odds are still against an individual applicant.   

 

At several times during the semester I e-mail current students a new issue of MAC FAQs.  If you are a current student, MAC FAQs are being sent to your Roosevelt University "myMail" address.   --  JAD

College of Arts and Sciences | Department of Psychology